Supporting device for rails



Nov. 19, 1929. J. J. MACKLEM -1,736,501

y 'SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR RAILS Filed Aug. 1, 1928 Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED staresaries SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR RAILS Application filed August 1,

My invention relates to and has for a purpose the provision of a simple, substantial and inexpensive device by whichV a member such as a rail or beam can be firmly held and supported from another member, the device being adjustable in a manner to acconnno date rails extending in diierent directions and angles relative to the sul porting member.

It is another purpose ot my invention to provide a supporting device ot the above described character, particularly adapted, although not necessarily, for use with scatiolds of the general character embodied in my 15 U. S. Patent No. 1,593,945 issued July 2'2",

1926 and in this use ot devices embodying` my invention, the side rails or runners of the ladders of the scaffold are capable of being etiectively held in a manner to firmly support 20 the ladders on the wheeled trucks or 'tables of the scaffold.

I will describe only one form of supporting` device for rails embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying' drawing',

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating devices embodying,r myinvention applied to a scaffold and supporting a ladder of the latter on a wheeled truck of the scaffold;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation, showing' a pair of the devices embodying my invention, applied to the scatfold;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view talren on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and looking' in the direction ot' the arrows; and

Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-4 of Fig. 3 and looking` in the direction et J the arrows.

Referring specifically to the drawing; in which similar re'ierence characters designate similar' parts in each of the several views, my invention in its present embcdimernL comprises a base member B of U term constructed of metal to provide a pair ot spaced apart parallel portions in the form ot arms and 10"L and a connecting portion in the form of a Hat base 11 trom the center ot which projects 1928. Serial N'O. 296,725.

a threaded stud 12 provided with a wing; nut 13.

The tree ends of the arms 10 and 10CL are biturcated to provide alined recesses 14 and 14a in which are journaled alined trunnions 15 and 15a projecting from opposite ends o'l' the body 16 a holding member H, to the end that the latter will be pivotally mounted on the base member B between the arms 10 and 10n ot' the latter.

To conline the trunnions 15 and 15a against displacement trom their respective recesses7 headed pins 17 extend transversely through the arms 10 and 10a adjacent their tree ends and bridge the open ends of the recesses, the pins being threaded at one of their ends to receive nuts 18 tor preventingdisplacement of the pins trom the arms.

The body 16 oit' the holding member H is in the form of a cup to provide a socket 19 in which an end o'l' a rail or beam such as, for example, a side rail 2O of a ladder L of a scatold is adapted to be received and confined, and to secure the rail 2O lirmly in the socket against endwise displacement theretrom a threadec stud 21 is threaded into a side wall of the body 16 and is adapted to be screwed into engagement with the rail 2O so that the latter will be clamped in the socket 19 between the stud and the opposed side wall of the body 16.

In the use et the device above described with a scaffold, a pair ot the devices are employed for each ladder L, the base members B of the devices being secured upon a wheeled truck T of the scaiiold by means of their threaded studs 12 which extend through slots 22 formed in the platform 23 ot the truck, the wing nuts 13 securing' the base members in fixed positions on the platform and the slots 22 in the latter Apermitting adjustment ot the base members towards and away from each other to position the sockets 10 ot the holding members H of the devices, in properspaced relation to receive the lower ends ot the side rails of theparticular ladder to be sup ported. The base members are thus rendered adjustable to accommodate ladders ot different widths.

As the holding members H of the devices Asi are f'ree to pivot on their respective base members, it will be clear that the devices automatically adjust themselves to the relatively inclined side rails 20 of the ladder L so that the rails will firmly seat in the sockets 19 and will be secured against displacement from the latter upon screwing of the studs 2l into engagement with the rails. The rails of the ladder will thus be firmly held and the ladder effectively supported from the truck T.

Furthermore, it will be manifest that in a broader aspect my invention contemplates the provision of a suitablebase member capable of being secured to a support, and a holding member adjustably mounted on the base member in such manner as to be rendered capable of firmly holding a rail or beam eX- tending in various directions or angles from the support.

Although I, have herein shown and described only one form of supporting device for rails embodying my invention, it is to lle understood that various changes and modiiications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A supporting` device for rails comprising a base member having spaced apart portions provided with recesses, a holding member having means in which a rail is adapted to be received and confined, and trunnions on the holding member j ournaled in said recesses to pivotally mount the holding member on the base member.

2. A supporting device for rails comprising a base member having spaced apart portions provided with recesses, a holding member having means in which a rail is adapted to be received and confined, trunnions on the holding member journaled in said recesses to pivotally mount the holding member on the base member, and means for confining the trunnions against displacement from the recesses.

3. A supporting device for rails comprising a base member having spaced apart portions provided with recesses, a holding member having means in which a rail is adapted to be received and confined, trunnions on the holding member journaled in said recesses to pivot-ally mount the holding member on the base member, and means for confining the trunnions against displacement from the recesses comprising pins extending through said portions and bridging the recesses therein.

t. A supporting device for rails comprising a U shaped base member including spaced apart parallel portions, bifurcated t0 provide alined recesses, a holding member having a socket in which a rail end is adapted to be received and confined, trunnions projecting from opposite ends of the holding'member and extending into said-recesses to pivotally support the holding member on the base member between said port-ions of the latter, and means for confining the trunnions against displacement from the recesses.

5. A supporting device for rails comprising a U shaped base member including spaced apart parallel portions bifurcated to provide alined recesses, a holding member having a socket in which a rail end is adapted to be received and confined, trunnions projecting from opposite ends of the holding member and extending into said recesses to pivot-ally support the holding member on the base member between said portions of the latter, and means for confining the trunnions against displacement from the recesses comprising pins extending through said portions of the holding member and bridging the recesses thereof. l

6. A supporting device for rails comprising a base member having a pair of spaced apart parallel arms and a connecting portion, the connecting portion having a threaded stud projecting therefrom and provided with a nut by which the base member is adapted to be secured to a support, said parallel arms being bifurcated to provide alined recesses, a holding member having a cup shaped body to provide a socket in which a rail end is adapted to be received and confined, trunnions projectinor from opposite ends of the body and extent ing into said recesses to pivotally support the holding member on the base member, pins extending through said arms of the holding member and bridging the recesses of the arms to confine the trunnions against displacement from the recesses, and a set screw threaded into the holding member and adapted to engage the rail to secure the latter against displacement from the socket.

Signed at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles,` and State of California, this 29th day of June, A. D., 1928.

J CHN J. MACKLEM.

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